Stop mechanism for looper machines



Aug. 11. 1925. 1,549,369

F. s. MQCAULEY ET AL STOP IIECHANISII FOR LOOPER MACHINES Filed Dec. 5. 1924 ,2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I A llllilllllllllllll!lllm Aug. 11, 192 5.

1,549,359 F. S. M CAULEY ET AL.

STOP MECHANISM FOR'LOOPER MACHINES,

JSheets-Sheet. 2

Patented Aug. 11, 1925.

UN T D STATES PATENToFFiCE.

FRANK S. MQCAULEY AND CHARLES W. DIFFENDERFER, OF CHAMBERSBURG,

PENNSYLVANIA. Y

STOP MECHANISM FOR LOOIER MACHINES.

Application filed December 5, 1924. Serial No. 754,137.

To all whom it may. concern:

Be it known that we, FRANK S. MCCAULEY and CHARLES WV. DIFFENDERFER, both citi Zens of the United States, and residents of Chambersburg, Franklin County, Pennsyle Vania, United States of America, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stop Mechanism for Looper Machines; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to stop mechanism for looper knitting machines by which, when a knot occurs in either the needle thread or hook thread or both, is caused a stopping of the machine before the knot in either or both threads reaches the needle or the hook, thus preventing a breaking of these parts of the machine, or a destruction or de terioration of the work.

The needle thread passing through the needle take-up is preferably positively severed when a knot occurs in this thread. A knot in the hook thread positively operates a thread fork to cause the machine to stop independently of the actuation by the takeup, but it operates the same intermediate mechanism.

In our construction we preferably utilize the rebound movement of the spring wire needle take-up, upon a severance of the thread passing through the take-up to the needle, to operate or release the clutch actuating means. Preferably this thread is positively severed by a knife when the thread draws the take-up down.

Details of the invention will hereinafter be more specifically described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, in which like parts are similarly designated Figure 1 is a side elevation of so much of a looper machine, with our invention attached, as is necessary to an understanding of our invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a front view of a portion thereof.

The looper machine is a well known, two

' thread, construction, and comprises briefly the following parts: the frame member 1, the point crown 2, needle actuating parts and needle carrier 3 pivoted at 4, its actuating link 5 operated from crank 6, on the driving shaft 7, Figs. 2 and 3, that is driven by a pulley 8 provided with a clutch 9. The clutch is operated by lever 10 and rod 11 from the front of the machine by a handle within ready reach of the operator. The clutch 9 shown in engaged position has a shifting muff 22 engaged by a pin 23 on the lever 10. The muff 22 is moved toward the right, Fig. 3, for releasing. A hand crank 12 is provided to actuate the operating shaft to move the sewing mechanism manually when threading the machine or for other purposes. A tension pin 13 is mounted on a standard or bracket 14 which also carries the spring tension discs 15.

There is also provided a wire hook thread take-up 16 and hook thread tensions 17 and 18. Also a wire needle thread take-up 19 and tensions 20 and 21. The sewing needle and hook are not shown. The needle thread is indicated by double arrows and the hook thread by single arrows.

With the above explanations, we will proceed to describe our invention.

On the needle carrier 3 we place between the tensions 20 and 21 a knife 50. On the tension pin'13 we secure one end of an arm 51 by means of a screw 52, so thatthe arm 51 may be rotatably as well as axially ad justed on the pin, 13.

In the opposite end of this arm at 53 we pivot a lever 54 having a thread fork 55 at the rearof its pivot. The slot in the fork is wide enough to pass a thread, but not wide enough to pass a knot in the thread. At the opposite side of the pivot 53 this lever is bent so that its tail 56 normally lies below a horizontal rod 57 of a trigger lever 58.- This trigger lever has a short trigger hook 59 extending but a short distance beyond its pivot screw 60 in the frame of the machine, or, as shown, in a removable auxiliary casting or auxiliary frame member 61 de tachably secured to the main frame 1 of the machine. Below this trigger arm in the casting 61 is astop-pin 62 for the trigger arm 58.

The trigger hook 59 engages a similar hook 63 on the long arm of a release lever 64 pivoted on a screw 65 in the auxiliary frame member 61. The tail 66 of the lever 64, here shown as having a hooked shape,

' acts as an abutment tor a spring-urged rod 67.

The release lever 64 is urged away from n thread takeaip 19.

We also provide a stationary fork 70 for f the needle thread, similar to fork 55 and for a similar purpose, namely, to arrest the thread "at a knot therein. This stationary fork is conveniently secured at the bracket 14, or other stationary part.

The auxiliary'trame member 6l'has a portion 61 at right'angles thereto in which the rod 67 is mounted to slide, and has an elongated recess or aperture 71 through which the actuating coil spring 721surround1ng this rod and'its pin 7 3 and abutment washer 74; may be" inserted when assembling the parts. The spring 72 urges therod 67 toward the hooked abutment tail 66 ot the lever "64 when the trigger is set, and when the trigger is released the tail moves past the end of the rod and allows this end to be projected beyond the lever.

The auxiliary frame member has at the end of the portion 61 an L-shaped portion 61 in which is mounted a two-armed lever 75whose upper end is pivoted .to the end of the rod 67 at 76/ This pivotal connection may be a loose one, or the rod 67 may have bearing in theanxiliary frame portion 61 sufficiently loose to readily permit the oscillation of this lever. The nose 7'? of this lever engages a shifting pin T8 engaging the same groove 22in the movable element 9 of the clutch, that the shifting pin 23 engages of the hand-operated stop lever 10.

This auxiliary shifting pinT'S is mounted in one arm of the bell-crank'lever 79 pivoted at 80 in a bracket 81 secured on the machine frame. T'heother arm 01 this bell-crank lever is connected by a rod '82 adjustable as to length to'a pedal .83, so that the operator shall have both the usual hand-operated stop level-oi the machine and the foot-operated stop lever 'T9,so that she can stop the machine with her foot when her hands are busy placing the stockings on the supporting points oi crown 2. i

The operation is as follows:

' Should a knot occur in the needle thread it will he stopped by the needle thread fork and not feed past this point. The thread. however, beyond this point is continued to b used. and the wire needle thread take-up 19 will be drawn down until that portion of the thread-between the tension eye 20 and the eye of the take-up 19 strikes the knife 50 and'is severedy The take-upbeing thus released springs back andstrikes the rod 57 or the trigger lever 58,1-eleasesthe trigger hook 59 from engagement with the stoplever retaining hook 63 and permits this lever to be thrown up by its spring 68, so that itsabutment tail 66 moves past the end of rod 67 retained thereby, and permits the rod 67 to be suddenly shot past this lever.

- This movement of the rod is stopped by its pin 7 3 striking against an end wallet the recess 71. The rod67 draws the udpler end of lever with it. The urge or tiis lever then moves th shift pin 78 to release the clutch andstop chine. y

Should a knot occur in the hook thread, this knot will engage the fork 55 on lever 54 and cause the tail 56 of this lever to strike the horizontal rod 57 of the trigger lever 55 and thus operate this lever to stop the machine, as above described. i

The pedal 83 is an additional means for stopping the machine by the operator for actuating the auxiliary shift pin '78. This pedal when operated will also cause the clutch-to engage to start the machine, and

at the same time retract the rod 67 so that thetrigger canbe reset, ori-t maybe reset byhand. Q These arrangements may be readily atthe operation of themaas well as time, in whichthe machinewould otherwise be idle to remove spoiled work, and repair broken parts. i i

We claim 1. The combination with a looper machine having a clutch to place the machine in and out of operation and a take-up; of a knot holding element, a clutch operating means including a trigger mechanism arranged to be actuated by said take-up when the thread passing through said take-up in severed, and a knife to positively sever thread when said take-up is drawn down by reason of a knot in the thread. i i

2. The combination with a looper machine having a clutch to place the machine in and out of operation and a take-up; of means to hold or retain a knot in the thread passing to the take-up, clutch operating mechanism means to sever the thread when it is held and the tension on the take-up increases and means operated by said take-up when the thread is severed to actuate the clutch meal anism to stop the machine.

3. The combination with a looper machine lU-i having a clutch toplace the machine in and out of operationand a takemp; of clutch operating mechanism including a trigger said take-up, whereby when the thread is severed the take-up will operate said trigger means to throw. the-clutch out.

4. The combination with a looper machine having a clutch to place the machine in and out of operation and a take-up; of a clutch engaging and operating member, a pivoted lever to operate said me: a spring actuated rod connected to LalCl lever, a retaining lever against which said rod rests, and a trigger to hold the latter lever and arranged for operation by the take-up.

5. The combination with a looper machine having a clutch to place the machine in and out of operation and a take-up; of a clutch shifting member, a pivoted lever to operate said member, a rod connected to said lever, spring to actuate said rod, trigger mechanism cooperating with said rod, comprising a rodholding lever, a trigger for said lever arranged to be actuated by said take-up to permit the lever to release said rod to cause the clutch to be thrown out, and means acting on said member to return said pivoted lever and rod against the action of said spring preparatory to resetting the trigger, and to sii'nultaneously throw the clutch into engagement.

6. The combination with a looper machine having a clutch to place the machine in and out of operation and a L; ;e-up; of a clutch operating member, a pivoted lever to operate said member, a rod connected to said lever, a spring to slide said rod, a pivoted stop lever having a short arm against which said rod abuts and a long arm provided with a hook aknot holder, a trigger having a hook on one end engaging the Iirstmentioned hook and its opposite end arranged to be operated by the take-up when the thread is severed.

7. The con'ibination with a looper machine having a clutch to place the machine in and out of operation and a take-up; of means to sever the thread leading through the takeup when the tension increases abnormally a trigger-controlled clutch shifting means arranged for actuation by said take-up when its thread is severed to release the clutch, and pedal-actuated means to cause the reen gagement of the clutch and permit the resetting of the trigger-controlled means.

8. The combination with a looper machine having a clutch to place the machine in and out of operation and a spring take-up; of a thread fork to retain a knot in the take-up thread and cause the take-up to be pulled down, a knife in the path of said thread when the takeup is pulled down, a trigger operated by the take-np on its rebound when the thread is severed and having a trigger hook, a spring-urged stop lever having a hook engagedby the trigger hook, a spring urged rod normally stopped by said step lever, a pivoted lever connectedto said rod,

a clutch shifting device ter lever, and pedal-opera actuated by the lat.-

said rod and simultaneously re-engage the chine having a clutch to place the machine in and out of operation and a spring takeup; of a knot holding fork, a trigger-controlled means to release said clutch, arranged to be operated by said take-up, a knife to sever the take-up thread when the take-up is drawn down, said trigger-controlled means operated by the rebound of said take-up, a pivoted hook thread fork also arranged to operate said trigger means, and a pedal operated means to re-engage the clutch and simultaneously permit the re.- setting of said trigger-controlled means.

11. The combination with a looper machine having a clutch to place the machine in and out of operation and a spring takeup; of a stationary thread fork to hold or retain the take-up thread, a stationary knife to sever the take-up thread when the takeup is pulled down, and a trigger-controlled clutch-operating means arranged to be operated by reboinid of the spring take-up when the thread is severed.

12. The combination with a looper machine using a hook thread and a needle thread and having a clutch and a needle thread take-up; of means automatically released by said take-up when the tension on needle thread is suddenly released, to automatically release said clutch, and means operated by a knot in the hook thread to also actuate said mechanism to automatically release said clutch.

13. The combination with a looper machine having a clutch to place the machine in and out of operation and a spring takeup; of means to hold or retain a knot in the thread passing to the take-up, a knife onto which the thread passing the take-up is moved when retained by a knot, and means operated by the take-up when it rebounds upon a sudden release of the tension on the thread to actuate said clutch.

14. In a looper machine having a pivoted, swinging needle arm, a spring take-up thereon and a clutch mechanism for starting and stopping the machine; a knot-holding fork,

and a trigger mechanism for releasing the Vits'thread is DmleCL and a pivotedll oopar 1 'ciuteh arranged to be actuated by the fake thread knot-holding lewiwnlso arranged ,to

up When its thread issevered. I operate said trigger n'ieehanism when actu- 15. In a. looper machine having a pivoted, Med by e knotin the looper thread. 7

swinging needle arm; a spring take-up there- In testimony thatwe Claim the foregoing on and a clutch mechanism for starting and as our invention, We have signed our names.

stopping the machine; a stationary knoti holding fork, and a trigger mechanism ar- FRANK S. MGCAULEY.

ranged to be operated by the take-up When CHARLES W. DIFFENDERFER 

